The USAID Nigeria Mission Director Visits NEI Plus Project Sites and Partners in Bauchi

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nigeria Mission Director, Mr. Stephen Haykin visited the Northern Education Initiative Plus (NEI Plus) project sites (formal school and Non-formal Learning Centre – NFLC) in Bauchi.

The USAID Mission director and the NEI Plus team during a state visit to the Governor of Bauchi

The Governor of Bauchi state, Sen. Bala Mohammed praised the project for promoting a culture of reading in the state. Sen. Bala Mohammed said that many of 1.3 million Out-of-School children in the now have access to basic education through the non-formal learning centres established by the NEI Plus. Sen. Bala Mohammed expressed his government’s plan to look inwards to see what can be done to further consolidate and sustain the results of the NEI Plus Early Grade Reading project. The USAID Mission Director appreciated the many years of fruitful collaboration with the Bauchi state government in the area of education and health.

NEI Plus is Providing Basic Education and Promoting Reading Culture among Children in Bauchi State – Sen. Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State

The USAID Nigeria Mission Director also visited an Adolescent Girls’ Non-Formal Learning Centre (AGLC) at Wuntin Dada Local Government Area, Bauchi. The non-formal learning center brings basic education to the doorsteps of these girls where they learn to read and write.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aliyu Usman Tilde expressed delight at the results achieved through the NEI Plus contribution to education in the state. “Reading has been a difficult process for our children, and we appreciate the contributions of NEI Plus in introducing a systematic approach of teaching to help our children read in 10 LGAs in the state”, said the commissioner.

Girls reading at an Adolescent Girls Learning Centre in Wuntin Dada, Bauchi state

The impact of the Early Grade reading program in formal schools and NFLCs across the state’s Local Government Areas (LGAs) will still be felt 20 years to come – Dr. Aliyu Usman Tilde, Commissioner for Education.

NEI Plus and USAID Mission director visited the Kofar Wuse primary school. Before the NEI Plus’ program intervention, Kofar Wase primary school experienced low school attendance with only 700 children enrolled in primary 1-6 classes. Now the school’s population has increased to 3,000. Mr. Sephen Haykin interacted with teachers and students while visiting the school.

L-R Head Teacher Kofar Wase Primary School, Chief of Party NEI Plus, USAID Mission director.

Out-of-School children, especially girls, have had increased access to school since the inception of the USAID funded project (NEI Plus).

Written by Adebisi Adetunji

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